Switching device structures and methods

ABSTRACT

Switching device structures and methods are described herein. A switching device can include a vertical stack comprising a material formed between a first and a second electrode. The switching device can further include a third electrode coupled to the vertical stack and configured to receive a voltage applied thereto to control a formation state of a conductive pathway in the material between the first and the second electrode, wherein the formation state of the conductive pathway is switchable between an on state and an off state.

PRIORITY INFORMATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/465,596 filed May 7, 2012, which is incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to switching device structuresand methods.

BACKGROUND

A switching device is an electrical component that can break anelectrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from oneconductor to another. A switching device may include semiconductordevices such as bipolar junction transistors or field-effect transistorsand a number of terminals. When a control signal is applied to theswitching device, it may open and/or close. When the switching device isclosed, a small residual resistance may remain between the number ofterminals.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor,integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There aremany different types of memory, including random-access memory (RAM),read only memory (ROM), dynamic random memory (DRAM), synchronousdynamic random access memory (SDRAM), flash memory, and resistive, e.g.,resistance variable, memory, among others. Types of resistive memoryinclude programmable conductor memory, phase change random access memory(PCRAM), and resistive random access memory (RRAM), among others.

Memory devices are utilized as non-volatile memory for a wide range ofelectronic applications in need of high memory densities, highreliability, and low power consumption. Non-volatile memory may be usedin, for example, personal computers, portable memory sticks, solid statedrives (SSDs), digital cameras, cellular telephones, portable musicplayers such as MP3 players, movie players, and other electronicdevices.

Memory devices may include a number of memory cells arranged in amatrix, e.g., array. A resistive memory cell can comprise a resistivestorage element and a select device. As an example a select device canbe a diode, a field effect transistor (FET), or bipolar junctiontransistor (BJT), among other switching devices used to select, e.g.,access, a memory cell. The select device of a memory cell can be coupledto, for example, an access line, e.g., word line, forming a “row” of thearray. The storage elements of each memory cell may be coupled to adata/sense line, e.g., bit line, in a “column” of the array. In thismanner, the select of a memory cell may be accessed through a rowdecoder activating a row of memory cells by selecting the word linecoupled to their gates. The programmed state of a row of selected memorycells may be determined, e.g., sensed, by causing different currents toflow in the memory elements depending on the resistance associated witha programmed state of a selected memory cell.

Memory cells may be programmed, e.g., written, to a desired state. Thatis, one of a number of programmed states, e.g., resistance levels, canbe set for a memory cell. For example, a single level cell (SLC) canrepresent one of two logic states, e.g., 1 or 0. Resistive memory cellscan also be programmed to one of more than two programmed states, suchas to represent more than two binary digits, e.g., 1111, 0111, 0011,1011, 1001, 0001, 0101, 1101, 1100, 0100, 0000, 1000, 1010, 0010, 0110,or 1110. Such cells may be referred to as multi state memory cells,multi-digit cells, or multilevel cells (MLCs).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate cross-sectional views of a switching device inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method for forming aconductive pathway in accordance with one or more embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a resistive memory arrayincluding switching devices in accordance with one or more embodimentsof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Switching device structures and methods are described herein. One ormore switching devices can include a vertical stack comprising amaterial formed between a first and a second electrode. The switchingdevices can further include a third electrode coupled to the verticalstack and configured to receive a voltage applied thereto to control aformation state of a conductive pathway in the material between thefirst and the second electrode, wherein the formation state of theconductive pathway is switchable between an on state and an off state.

Switching device structures and methods, in accordance with embodimentsof the present disclosure, can provide for a three-electrode, e.g.,three-terminal, scalable device that can function as a transistor ratherthan a diode and/or resistor, for example. Various switching devices inaccordance with embodiments described herein can comprise an electrode,e.g., a gate electrode, having a different location as compared toprevious switching devices, which can provide for an increased electricfield within the switching device, as compared to previous switchingdevices. The electric field may also be formed at a number of differentangles, resulting in a smaller, more compact device as compared todevices designed to operate via electric fields of approximately 90degrees. For example, a planar device in which the making and/breakingof a conductive pathway (e.g., conductive filament) is performed viaelectric fields acting at 90 degrees may result in a larger device ascompared to a more compact, vertical switching device, as describedfurther herein with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure.

In a number of embodiments, a switching device can function similar to atransistor and may be used to amplify and/or switch electronic signalsand power, for example. Switching devices, in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure, can be more compact in size andcan have a greater areal density as compared to previous transistors,e.g., field effect transistors (FETs) performing a same or similarswitching function.

In the following detailed description of the present disclosure,reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof,and in which is shown by way of illustration how a number of embodimentsof the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described insufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art topractice a number of embodiments of this disclosure, and it is to beunderstood that other embodiments may be utilized and that process,electrical, or mechanical changes may be made without departing from thescope of the present disclosure.

As will be appreciated, elements shown in the various embodiments hereincan be added, exchanged, and/or eliminated so as to provide a number ofadditional embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, as willbe appreciated, the proportion and the relative scale of the elementsprovided in the figures are intended to illustrate the embodiments ofthe present invention, and should not be taken in a limiting sense. Asused herein, “a number of” something can refer to one or more suchthings. For example, a number of memory devices can refer to one or morememory devices.

The various processing stages described herein, including formation ofcomponents using materials, can include the use of deposition ofmaterial in a number of ways known in the art. Some examples includechemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/or atomic layer deposition (ALD),among others. Processing stages involving the removal of material caninclude the use of, for example, photolithography, patterning, wetand/or dry etching, and the like, as will be appreciated by one of skillin the art.

The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the firstdigit or digits correspond to the drawing figure number and theremaining digits identify an element or component in the drawing.Similar elements or components between different figures may beidentified by the use of similar digits. For example, 100 may referenceelement “00” in FIGS. 1A-1C, and a similar element may be referenced as400 in FIG. 4. As will be appreciated, elements shown in the variousembodiments herein can be added, exchanged, and/or eliminated so as toprovide a number of additional embodiments of the present disclosure. Inaddition, as will be appreciated, the proportion and the relative scaleof the elements provided in the figures are intended to illustrate theembodiments of the present invention, and should not be taken in alimiting sense.

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate cross-sectional views of a switching device 100in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Ina number of embodiments, switching device 100 operates, e.g., switchesbetween an “on” state and an “off” state, via ion movement. As such,switching device 100 can be referred to as a nanoionic switching device.As illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1C, a switching device 100 can include anelectrode 102, an electrode 104, and an electrode 106. The electrodes102, 104, and 106 can comprise, for example, a conductive material,e.g., tungsten, titanium nitride, etc. Device 100 can be formed on asubstrate (not shown), which can be a silicon substrate, silicon oninsulator (SOI) substrate, or silicon on sapphire (SOS), among variousother substrate materials. Device 100 can be pillar-shaped or mesashaped, among others, for example.

Operation of switching devices, such as switching devices 100-1, 100-2,and 100-3 illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, respectively, can becontrolled via application of electrical signals, which results indiffusion of ions, e.g., metal ions, and their reduction and/oroxidation processes in a switching operation to form and/or annihilate aconductive pathway, e.g., a conductive filament and/or a metal atomicbridge. In a number of embodiments, the conductive pathway can include,for example any type of conductive path and/or volume which can becreated under applied field. For example, in mixed valence oxide (MVO),materials such as PCMO (Pr_(x)Ca_(y)Mg_(z)O), oxygen vacancies canuniformly move under an applied electrical field in a volume ofmaterials and change its resistance without forming a filament.

The conductive pathway can create a conductive path between twoelectrodes of the switching device, e.g., in an on state. In a number ofembodiments, such an atomic switching device can be a three electrodedevice and can perform a similar function as a transistor. Device 100can demonstrate electrical performance similar to a complementarymetal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device, for example.

FIG. 1A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a switching device 100-1.The switching device 100-1 includes an electrode 106-1 formed adjacentto and surrounding an electrode 102. In a number of embodiments, theelectrode 106-1 is adjacent to, but does not surround electrode 102. Asillustrated in FIG. 1A, insulating material 103 can be formed betweenelectrode 106-1 and electrode 102 to isolate them from one another, forexample. A material 110 is formed between an electrode 104 andelectrodes 102 and 106-1, and within material 110 can be material 111.Material 110 can be, for example, an interlayer dielectric, such as, anitride dielectric, e.g., silicon nitride (Si₃N₄). In a number ofembodiments, material 111 can comprise a resistance variable material.In embodiments in which material 111 is a resistance variable material,the material 111 can be, for example, an RRAM material. In a number ofembodiments, material 111 can be formed between electrodes 104, 102, and106-1.

Example RRAM materials can include, for example, zirconium dioxide(ZrO₂) or gadolinium oxide (GdO_(x)). Other RRAM materials can include,for example, colossal magnetoresistive materials such asPr_((1-x))Ca_(x)MnO₃ (PCMO), La_((1-x))CaxMnO₃ (LCMO), andBa_((1-x))Sr_(x)TiO₃. RRAM materials can also include metal oxides, suchas alkaline metal oxides, e.g., Li₂O, Na₂O, K₂O, Rb₂O, Cs₂O, BeO, MgO,CaO, SrO, and BaO, refractive metal oxides, e.g., NbO, NbO₂, Nb₂O5,MoO₂, MoO₃, Ta₂O₅, W₂O₃, WO₂, WO₃, Re₂O₂, ReO₃, and Re₂O₇, and binarymetal oxides, e.g., Cu_(x)O_(y), WO_(x), Nb₂O₅, Al₂O₃, Ta₂O₅, TiO_(x),ZrO_(x), Ni_(x)O, and Fe_(x)O. RRAM materials can also includeGe_(x)Se_(y), and other materials that can support solid phaseelectrolyte behavior. In some embodiments, materials for ionic memoriescan include a reactive ion and a solid electrolyte material. Thereactive ion in current devices can include, for example Cu, Ag, and/orZn. The solid electrolyte can include, for example, metal sulfides,Ge-based chalcogenides, and/or oxides.

Other RRAM materials can include perovskite oxides such as doped orundoped SrTiO₃, SrZrO₃, and BaTiO₃, and polymer materials such asBengala Rose, AlQ₃Ag, Cu-TCNQ, DDQ, TAPA, and Fluorescine-basedpolymers, among other types of RRAM materials. Embodiments of thepresent disclosure are not limited to a particular type of RRAMmaterial.

As shown in FIG. 1A, switching device 100-1 is a vertical stack ofmaterials. In operation, a voltage can be applied to electrodes 102,104, and/or 106-1 to control a formation state of a conductive pathway108, e.g., a conductive filament, in material 111. In a number ofembodiments, the formation state of the conductive pathway 108 isswitchable between an on state, e.g., conducting, and an off state,e.g., non-conducting. Voltages can be applied to electrodes 102, 104,and/or 106-1 such that a combined voltage difference between electrodes102/106-1 and 104 creates an electric field sufficient to control theformation state, for example.

In a number of embodiments, electrode 102 can serve as a sourceelectrode, electrode 104 can serve as a drain electrode, and electrode106-1 can serve as a gate electrode of the switching device 100-1.Electrode 102 can be formed as a contact pillar, for example. Theelectrodes 104 and 106-1 can be formed as conductive lines, or theswitching device 100-1 can be formed as a vertical pillar, for instance.In the example illustrated in FIG. 1A, electrodes 102 and 106-1 can becontrolled independently of one another. In a number of embodiments,electrodes 102 and 106-1 can be controlled together and can functiontogether as a single electrode.

FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a switching device 100-2.The switching device 100-2 includes an electrode 106-2 formed within amaterial 110 and/or a material 111. In the example illustrated in FIG.1B, switching device 100-2 is a vertical stack of materials. Inoperation, a voltage can be applied to electrodes 102, 104, and/or 106-2to control a formation state of a conductive pathway 108 within material111. Voltages can be applied to electrodes 102, 104, and 106-2 such thata combined voltage difference between electrodes 102/106-2 and 104creates an electric field sufficient to control the formation state, forexample.

FIG. 1C illustrates a cross-sectional view of a switching device 100-3.The switching devices 100-3 includes an electrode 106-3 formed outsideof a material 110. In some examples, electrode 106-3 can be formedoutside of material 111. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1C,switching device 100-3 is a vertical stack of materials. In operation, avoltage can be applied to electrodes 102, 104, and/or 106-3 to control aformation state of a conductive pathway 108 in material 111. Asillustrated in FIG. 1C, electrode 106-3 can be formed between electrodes102 and 104 and/or surrounding a portion of material 110. In someexamples, electrode 106-3 can be formed between electrodes 102 and 104and/or surrounding a portion of material 111. In a number ofembodiments, a distance 107 between electrodes 102 and 106-3 is lessthan a distance 109 between electrodes 102 and 104. This can result inan increased electric field between electrodes 106-3 and 104, ascompared to an electric field between electrodes 106-1 and 104 ofswitching device 100-1 shown in FIG. 1A. The electrodes 102 and 106-3can be controlled independently of one another, e.g., separate voltagescan be applied to electrodes 102 and 106-3.

FIG. 1C illustrates a cross-sectional view of a switching device 100-3.The switching devices 100-3 includes an electrode 106-3 formed outsideof a material 110. In some examples, electrode 106-3 can be formedoutside of material 111. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1B,switching device 100-3 is a vertical stack of materials. In operation, avoltage can be applied to electrodes 102, 104, and/or 106-3 to control aformation state of a conductive pathway 108 in material 111. Asillustrated in FIG. 1B, electrode 106-3 can be formed between electrodes102 and 104 and/or surrounding a portion of material 110. In someexamples, electrode 106-3 can be formed between electrodes 102 and 104and/or surrounding a portion of material 111. In a number ofembodiments, a distance 107 between electrodes 102 and 106-3 is lessthan a distance 109 between electrodes 102 and 104. This can result inan increased electric field between electrodes 106-3 and 104, ascompared to an electric field between electrodes 106-1 and 104 ofswitching device 100-1 shown in FIG. 1A. The electrodes 102 and 106-3can be controlled independently of one another, e.g., separate voltagescan be applied to electrodes 102 and 106-3.

In a number of embodiments, a switching device structure such asswitching devices 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 can be operated as a memorycell. For instance, voltages can be applied to the electrodes of theswitching device to control formation of the conductive pathway 108,which can represent a programmed state, and annihilation of theconductive pathway 108, which can represent an erased state.

In a number of embodiments, a switching device such as switching devices100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 can be coupled to a storage element to form amemory cell. As will be discussed further herein with respect to FIG. 3,the switching device can be coupled in series with the storage elementwhich can be a resistive storage element for instance.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method 218 forforming a conductive pathway in accordance with one or more embodimentsof the present disclosure. At 220, a vertical stack comprising a firstelectrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a resistancevariable material between the first and second electrodes is formed. Ina number of embodiments, the vertical stack can comprise a switchingdevice such as devices 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 described in connectionwith FIGS. 1A-1C.

At 222, a first voltage is applied to the first electrode, which can bea source electrode, for instances. At 224, a second voltage is appliedto the second electrode which can be a gate electrode. In a number ofembodiments, the second voltage is greater than the first voltage;however, embodiments are not so limited. The voltages applied to thefirst and second electrodes can be sufficient such that an electricfield between the first/second electrodes and the third electrode, e.g.,a drain electrode, results in formation of a conductive pathway betweenthe first and third electrodes, e.g., source and drain electrodes, forinstance. This can result in the switching device functioning as atransistor. In a number of embodiments, the first and second electrodescan be controlled separately. As illustrated at 226, the conductivepathway can be formed via ion movement, and in a number of embodiments,can cause the switching device to function as a transistor. In a numberof embodiments, the total voltage difference between the first/secondelectrodes and the third electrode can be controlled by applyingdifferent voltages to the first and second electrodes, e.g., bycontrolling the first and second electrodes separately.

As such, the conductive pathway can be controlled by applying a voltage,e.g., a required bias, between the gate electrode and the drainelectrode, or by controlling a cumulative electric field between thedrain electrode and the source/gate electrode of the switching device.The state of the switching device can be sensed by measuring currentbetween the source electrode and the drain electrode. In a number ofembodiments, the switching device can be coupled to an RRAM orconductive-bridging RAM (CBRAM) storage element, among others.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a resistive memory array328 including switching devices 300 in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present disclosure. The resistive memory array 328includes a number of memory cells 330, each including a switching device300 coupled to a resistive storage element 332. Resistive storageelement 332 can include resistance variable materials such as thosedescribed in FIGS. 1A-1C. Resistive storage element 332, can include atwo-terminal resistance variable storage element comprising a storagematerial between a pair of electrodes, for example. The switching devicecan serve as a select device for the memory cell, in a number ofembodiments.

A switching device 300 can include a vertical stack comprising amaterial formed between two electrodes, and the switching device 300 caninclude a third electrode coupled to the vertical stack and configuredto receive a voltage applied thereto to control a formation state of aconductive pathway, e.g., a conductive pathway. The formation state canbe switchable between an on state and an off state in a number ofembodiments.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, switching device 300 is coupled inseries with resistive storage element 332 to form memory cell 330. Theswitching device 300 can be a switching device such as those describedin FIGS. 1A-1C. The memory cells 330 can be formed in accordance withembodiments described herein.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the switching device 300 is athree terminal switching device. As shown in FIG. 3, an electrode, e.g.,a gate electrode, of each switching device 300 is coupled to one of anumber of word lines 336-1 (WL0), 336-2 (WL1), . . . , 336-N (WLN),i.e., each word line 336-1, 336-2, . . . , 336-N is coupled to a row ofmemory cells 330. The designator “N” is used to indicate that theresistive memory array 328 can include a number of word lines.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, each resistive storage element 432is coupled to one of a number of bit lines 338-1 (BL0), 338-2 (BL1), . .. , 338-M (BLM), i.e., each bit line 338-1, 338-2, . . . , 338-M iscoupled to a column of memory cells 330. The designator “M” is used toindicate that the resistive memory array 328 can include a number of bitlines. The designators M and N can have various values. For instance, Mand N can be 64, 128, or 256. In some embodiments, a bit line directionis perpendicular to a word line direction, e.g., the rows of memorycells 330 and the columns of memory cells 330 are perpendicular to oneanother.

The switching devices 300 can be operated, e.g., turned on/off, toselect/deselect the memory cells 330 in order to perform operations suchas data programming, e.g., writing, and/or data reading operations, forinstance. In operation, appropriate voltage and/or current signals,e.g., pulses, can be applied to the bit lines and word lines in order toprogram data to and/or read data from the memory cells 330. As anexample, the data stored by a memory cell 330 of array 328 can bedetermined by turning on a switching device 300, and sensing a currentthrough the resistive storage element 332. The switching device 300 canbe turned on/off via ion movement resulting in formation/annihilation ofa conductive pathway as described further above. The current sensed onthe bit line corresponding to a selected memory cell 330 being readcorresponds to a resistance level of the resistance variable material ofresistive storage element 332, which in turn may correspond to aparticular data state, e.g., a binary value. The resistive memory array328 can have architecture other than that illustrated in FIG. 3, as willbe understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In the example shownin FIG. 3, an electrode, e.g., a drain electrode, of switching device iscoupled to a ground voltage. However, embodiments are not so limited.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that anarrangement calculated to achieve the same results can be substitutedfor the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to coveradaptations or variations of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. It is to be understood that the above description has beenmade in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combinationof the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specificallydescribed herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art uponreviewing the above description. The scope of the various embodiments ofthe present disclosure includes other applications in which the abovestructures and methods are used. Therefore, the scope of variousembodiments of the present disclosure should be determined withreference to the appended claims, along with the full range ofequivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are groupedtogether in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining thedisclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the disclosed embodiments of the presentdisclosure have to use more features than are expressly recited in eachclaim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matterlies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus,the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A switching device, comprising: a stackcomprising a first material and a second material formed between a firstand a second electrode; and a third electrode formed between the firstand second electrode, formed outside of the first material and thesecond material, coupled to the stack, and configured to receive avoltage applied thereto to control a formation state of a conductivepathway in the first material between the first and the secondelectrode; wherein the formation state of the conductive pathway isswitchable between an on state and an off state.
 2. The device of claim1, wherein the third electrode is formed within a portion of the firstmaterial.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the third electrodesurrounds a portion of the first material.
 4. The device of claim 1,wherein the second electrode is configured to receive a voltage appliedthereto in combination with the voltage applied to the third electrodeto control the formation state.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein thesecond electrode is formed on a pillar.
 6. The device of claim 1,wherein a distance between the first and the third electrodes is lessthan a distance between the first and the second electrodes.
 7. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the third electrode is coupled to aconductive line.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first materialincludes a resistance variable material.
 9. The device of claim 8,wherein the resistance variable material is a resistive random-accessmemory material.
 10. The device of claim 8, wherein the resistancevariable material includes a transition metal oxide material.
 11. Thedevice of claim 8, wherein the resistance variable material includes ametal alloy material.
 12. A memory cell, comprising: a storage element;a switching device coupled in series with the storage element, theswitching device comprising: a vertical stack comprising a firstmaterial and a second material formed between a first and a secondelectrode; and a third electrode formed between the first and the secondelectrode and outside of the first material and the second material,coupled to the vertical stack, and configured to receive a voltageapplied thereto to control a formation state of a conductive pathway inthe first material between the first and the second electrode; whereinthe formation state of the conductive pathway is switchable between anon state and an off state.
 13. The memory cell of claim 12, wherein thestorage element is a two-electrode resistance variable storage elementcomprising a storage material between a pair of electrodes.
 14. Thememory cell of claim 12, wherein the switching device serves as a selectdevice for the memory cell.
 15. The memory cell of claim 12, wherein thefirst electrode is a drain electrode, the second electrode is a sourceelectrode, and the third electrode is a gate electrode.
 16. The memorycell of claim 12, wherein the first electrode is coupled to a conductiveline.
 17. A method of forming a conductive pathway, comprising: forminga vertical stack comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, athird electrode between the first and the second electrodes andsurrounding a resistance variable material and a dielectric materialbetween the first and second electrode, applying a first voltage to thefirst electrode; and applying a second voltage to the second electrode,wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage, whereinapplication of the first and second voltages cause formation of aconductive pathway between the first and third electrodes via ionmovement.
 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling theconductive pathway by controlling a cumulative electric field betweenthe first and third electrodes.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein theconductive pathway includes a conductive filament.
 20. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the conductive pathway includes a metal atomic bridge.